Auld recession be forgot? Many will on New Year's Eve

Tuesday

Wednesday night could be a last hurrah of sorts for some in central Ohio -- a champagne-filled end-of-the-holidays splurge before a return to reality and the continued recession.

Wednesday night could be a last hurrah of sorts for some in central Ohio -- a champagne-filled end-of-the-holidays splurge before a return to reality and the continued recession.

So, many of us will be out on the town New Year's Eve, filling restaurants and hotels just as in the past.

"I think it's an escapist mentality. People still want a night out," said Alex Hayes, dining-room manager of Mitchell's Steakhouse at Polaris. "They want to take advantage of what they can before they hunker down for next year."

The upscale restaurant served 450 a year ago on New Year's Eve and already has reservations for 525, Hayes said.

It's the same at Lindey's restaurant, which had 525 reservations last year and could surpass 600 Wednesday night.

"I think New Year's Eve is still New Year's Eve, and people are going to go out," said Ed Miller, manager of the German Village restaurant. "As far as January and February who knows?"

Despite a bleak economic outlook, local restaurants, hotels and resorts say they expect the same number of customers as usual. The possible difference, which businesses won't know for sure until the big night, is that those customers may spend less.

"People in the hospitality industry are feeling a pinch, from luxury to discount," said Ann Paulins, director of the School of Human Consumer Sciences at Ohio University in Athens. "They're feeling that uncertainty and lack of commitment from customers to just spend money."

As a concession to the down economy, the Refectory restaurant has cut the price of its traditional five-course New Year's Eve fixed-price dinner from $95 to $75 and also is offering a la carte selections.

The strategy seems to be working, as owner Kamal Boulos reported 252 reservations -- and counting. Last year, the restaurant logged 247.

Some consumers are changing the way in which they have fun.

"People aren't traveling as far. We're getting most of our (customers) from a 60-mile radius," said Beth Kelly, director of marketing for the Cherry Valley Lodge, which has a large water park. "And people are waiting longer to make reservations and are being more cost-conscious."

Nevertheless, Kelly said the Newark resort is on schedule to sell out all 200 of its rooms for its annual New Year's Eve party package.

Several promoters are sponsoring the New Year's Eve Gala at the Columbus, a Renaissance Hotel Downtown. One of the organizers, Scott Lucas, said he expects about 2,000 guests, which will be about the same as previous years.

"Our reservations have been strong," he said.

He has put together New Year's parties off and on for the past two decades. In that time, he has noticed that attendance has less to do with the economy than with other factors, such as whether New Year's Day falls on a weekend day, or whether the Ohio State University football team is playing in a New Year's Day bowl game.

One exception to the New-Year's-Eve-as-usual trend is one of the largest and most enduring parties in the region.

Tim Dant, general manager at Hyatt Regency Columbus, expects 2,500 people at his event, down from about 3,000 last year, although the same as in 2005 and 2006. He attributes the decline to the poor economy.

"People have apparently opted to do other things with their discretionary income," he said.

But a down year for him is still pretty good. He has reservations for every room and has sold more than 1,000 party tickets to people who don't have rooms. The hotel has held a New Year's Eve party every year since it opened in 1980.

New Year's Eve is the Hyatt's biggest event of the year, as it is for many businesses in the hospitality industry.

"It takes all hands on deck," Dant said.

swartenberg@dispatch.com

dgearino@dispatch.com

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